This invention relates to the production of high octane blending components for gasolines. In another aspect, this invention relates to a combination process comprising etherification, isomerization, and alkylation together with appropriate fractionation and other separations for the production of tertiary alkyl ethers and alkylate gasoline which are high octane blending components for premium unleaded gasolines. In a further aspect, this invention relates to an etherification and alkylation process and the recovery of the produced hydrocarbon phase from etherification in a more efficient manner by treatment with a molecular sieve processing unit and parallel isomerization zones. In accordance with still another aspect, this invention relates to a combination type process including interrelationships of various streams from (a) methyl tertiary-alkyl ether manufacture, (b) molecular sieve processing, (c) parallel double bond and skeletal isomerizations, and (d) alkylation.
Accordingly, this invention is a combination process of known operations used herein in one specific embodiment in a novel manner so as to maximize the upgrading of the components of a butenes-containing stream to high octane tetraethyl lead (TEL)-free motor fuel in order to meet ultimate ecological requirements for high octane lead-free motor fuel.
Of the four butylene isomers, butene-1 produces the lowest octane value gasoline in HF catalytic aklylation with isobutane. Butenes-2 and isobutene make the highest octane value gasoline in HF catalytic alkylation. This system maximizes the use of isobutene for methyltertiarybutyl ether manufacture and maximizes the HF catalytic alkylation of butenes-2 with isobutane, with a minimizing of butene-1 in the alkylation.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to produce high quality gasoline blending components from low boiling olefins.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combination process for the etherification and alkylation of low boiling olefins.
A further object of this invention is to maximize the production of isoolefins, such as isobutene, for ether manufacture as well as the production of olefins, such as 2-butenes, for alkylation.
Other objects, aspects, as well as the several advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification, the drawing, and the appended claims.